Terry Klein

Terry Klein is a performing songwriter whose growing catalog of finely wrought, captivating songs has made him a respected member of the Folk and Americana music communities.  

Terry’s first two records, Great Northern and Tex, were produced by Texas folk hero Walt Wilkins in Austin, Texas and garnered praise from Mary Gauthier and Rodney Crowell and press and radio outlets across the United States and Europe. For his third album, Terry went to Nashville and worked with producer and multi-instrumentalist Thomm Jutz. Recorded over a few breakneck days in October 2021, Good Luck, Take Care was a raw, visceral departure from the work he’d done before. Ten dynamic songs that took hold from the first measure, knocked you off balance, and wouldn’t let go without a fight.  

Terry worked with Jutz again for his fourth album, Leave the Light On, which releases in November 2023. Recorded live over six hours on June 22, 2023, Leave the Light On is Terry’s most personal and vulnerable work yet. Leave the Light On is just as dynamic as Terry’s first three albums. But perhaps owed to the speed and requisite focus with which it was recorded, Leave the Light On has a cohesion and self-assurance that sets it apart. 

The Austin American-Statesman calls Terry “one of Austin's top singer-songwriters in recent years.” Glide Magazine says that “Klein sings with a trusted gravitas and polished reflection reminiscent of Guy Clark and Steve Earle.” No Depression said Good Luck, Take Care "has a knack for telling poetic stories in songs about the sad, funny, ironic, and devastating ups and downs of our lives" and American Songwriter said it "conveys honesty and emotion that gives the listener a clear connection." Americana UK called it “an exceptional set of songs, drawing comparisons with some of the great lyricists of Americana, notably Guy Clark, Mary Gauthier and Rodney Crowell.” The record appeared on Robert Christgau’s 2022 Dean’s List. 

Terry has played in some of the most hallowed rooms in the singer-songwriter business: Club Passim, The Bluebird, The Saxon Pub, and Anderson Fair, to name a few. He’s played sets and won over crowds at the Blanco River Songwriters Festival, the Corpus Christi Songwriters Festival, the Hotel Turkey Songwriters Festival, and the Montrose Music Festival. Before all that, a couple of lifetimes ago, he played in a heavy metal band in Los Angeles, thrashing around on grimy, storied stages like the Troubadour and the Whiskey A Go Go. Somewhere in the middle there, Terry worked in politics and then as a trial lawyer. 

He lives in Austin, Texas with his family. 

Here's what folks are saying about Terry Klein:

"Terry Klein has the poet’s heart and it's very much in evidence on his brand new collection of songs." 
--Rodney Crowell 

"Terry Klein’s songs bring me into his world, they make the crossing from one heart to another with ease. 'Better Luck Next Time' could have been written by Springsteen, Van Zandt, or Earle. But, no, this amazing song came from the guitar of a wonderful new voice in songwriting -- Terry Klein. Close your eyes, give a listen, and let his songs take you on a ride. It’s a beautiful journey." 
--Mary Gauthier 

"When I heard the songs on Great Northern for the first time, I was floored. I knew I was hearing a true songwriter, and a true craftsman. These songs deal with real moments, elements, depths of the human spirit. The songs here still move me. Welcome a strong collection of songs and a new clear, bold voice.” 
--Walt Wilkins